Herbs and spices
Unfortunately, there is few novel things in most herbs and spices we use in our common cooking. We are at the confluence of british and french cultures and our culinary tradition reflects those aspects of our identity. I feel we have barely started to discover and use our botanical heritage in mainstream cooking but fortunately we have a few great experts to advise and guide us.
What to buy
- Salted herbs from the lower saint-lawrence (herbes salées du bas du fleuve)
One of the true quebec traditions that is commonly still used in the kitchen is salted herbs. The one produced in the lower saint-lawrence are the most prevalent but this is something we used to do in our homes. Salted herbs are a collection of herbs that’s salted. The goal, of course, was to have preserves for the winter months, as the salted herbs will keep indefinitely. Recipes vary greatly but parsley dominate the herbs and there always will be a few members of the onion familly included (green onions or leeks) and a few vegetables (carrots, celery with leaves, parnips). You can use salted herbs everywhere that needs salt and a bit of seasoning. I know people who will almost exclusively replace salt with salted herbs.
The brand that is the most common looks like that:
- Garlic of the woods (ail des bois/Allium Tricoccum)
Allium Tricoccum (we call it “garlic of the woods” in french) is a protected species of wild onion native to eastern north america and very well known in Quebec. You can’t buy it. In fact, if someone offers to sell it to you don’t… they are an engendered species and their commercialisation and use is forbidden. I list it because it is well known but don’t expect to find it for sale. It is possible to harvest it in forests but it is recommended to take only one leaf per bulb. The maximum permitted to harvest for personal use is 50 builbs or 200 grams.
- Sea asparagus (Salicorne)
This plant comes from the lower saint-lawrence. It looks a bit like a small cactus and taste very salty, like the sea. It is eaten as is, as a condiment with fish or sea food or in salads.
- Labrador Tea (Thé du labrador/Rhododendron groenlandicum)
Labrador tea is a novelty often found in souvenirs shops. The native americans used to brew it for medicinal purposes and some people have begun to use it as an herb. It is not very common in our cooking however.
Where to find it
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Société orignal/Epicerie Fardoche
La société orignal is an initiative that want to identify, source and commercialize speciality products native to the Quebec terroir. They are very well known partners that work with a lot of restaurant. They trade in all kind of speciality products, including herbs native to Quebec. They have recently opened a store of their own named epicerie Fardoche. http://www.societe-orignal.com/en.html -
Atwater and Jean-Talon Market
If you are looking for speciality herbs and spices the Montreal speciality markets are the place to go. Common products (like salted herbs) will be found everywhere but if you are looking for something difficult to find chances are you will find it here if it can be found. -
Spicetrekkers (Epices de cru)
Philippe and Ethné de Vienne are spice royalty in Quebec. Worldly and passionate, they are the go to guy whenever someone in the Quebec media wants to discuss spices. Their flagship store in the Jean-Talon Market may very well be the single best spice store in Montreal. They have a very well established brand and offer something between spice porn and lyricism. Most of what they offer is very (!) expensive but you know you are buying the gold standard of whatever product strikes your fancy. Their packaging is superb and they make gift boxes that makes very good gift to the foodie among you. They recently published a book (The golden rule of spices) and they have a very interesting online store that ships everywhere in Canada and USA.
http://spicetrekkers.com/ -
Branche d’olivier
If you are using spices often shopping at “Epices de cru” is an expensive proposition. We have a lot of cultures in Montreal and I can tell you for a fact our north african friends don’t go buying their Ras El Hanout at 45$/100g at Epice du Cru. What they do is go at branche d’olivier and buy it at 2.32$/100g. Is it the same product? Of course not. For daily use, however, branche d’olivier is a treasure trove of difficult to find spices, herbs, pulses and rice at a very good price. The place is also very clean, which makes it a much better shopping experience for those like me used to shop at “ethnic markets” (some of our ethnic markets are a peculiar experience where expired products and dust mingle… not here). Their first shop is in Verdun I believe but they have since established a place 5 minutes away on foot from the Atwater market in Saint-Henri.
http://www.yelp.ca/biz/branche-d-olivier-verdun -
Marché des saveurs
Marché des saveurs is a very nice little shop in the Atwater market but you are paying a premium for shopping there. Spices and speciality product at the Branche d’olivier are 1.5 to 2x less expensive and I feel the latter have the leg up in term of variety. Branche d’olivier, however, might lack some of the high end elements (I’m looking at you fresh tahiti vanilla bean). If you don’t feel like going out of your way however they are a good option where gourmet stores are concerned.
http://www.lemarchedessaveurs.com/fr/ -
Bottine aux herbes (the herb boot)
Bottine aux herbes is a wonderful and rare sight. They are not a spice trader boutique or a speciality gourmet store: they are a herbalist. Going there is akin to going back in time and visiting a particularly organised and ambitious village witch. Looking for a medical herb or spice and can’t find it? Want to brew homemade bitters and having terrible difficulty sourcing your ingredients? You’ll find everything at bottines aux herbes. In addition, the woman selling you the product will probably have forgotten more than you know about the stuff.
http://www.bottineauxherbes.com/achat/default.asp
